Hello darlings, and welcome to Pink-Tutu.com! This week's #TutuTuesday is a little special - it's post number 478, and oh my, we've covered so much ground in tutus together! But we're not stopping now. Today, we're jetting back to 1841 – hold onto your hats, ladies, this trip's going to be a doozy!
I must confess, darlings, it wasn't a smooth journey this time. That trusty Time-Traveling Tutu of mine decided to act a bit fussy with the new, revolutionary "steam engine" contraption I used. Quite terrifying! But fear not, we made it. And where better to arrive than Paris, the heart of elegance, the home of – drum roll please – The Tutu!
Yes, ladies, February 23rd, 1841, saw a whole new era in dance and, by Jove, what an era! Imagine it – a swirling sea of romanticism, the air thrumming with the music of the grand ballerinas and the captivating magic of ballet. We are smack dab in the midst of The Romantic Era, my loves, the era of Giselle. This groundbreaking ballet, which debuted in 1841, is just bursting with the enchanting energy that fuels our love of the tutu.
We must remember, ladies, back in the 1840s, tutus weren't the whimsical cloud of pink they are today! Oh no, those early dancers wore gowns – oh, they were grand and lovely, yes! But heavy! The fabrics! They were very grand – satins, velvets, silks, the works! They would flow and swish gloriously but dear, the movement was… limited!
But enter Marie Taglioni – a true pioneer, ladies! This Italian dancer was all about light, ethereal movement, defying gravity. You know the iconic The Sylph, a disembodied fairy spirit, and that's where this incredible innovation came from: the tutu. The Romantic Tutu as it was called! A wispy cloud of gauze, reaching down to the calf, adorned with panniers underneath, it freed movement like never before.
I can almost picture The Romantic Tutu being unveiled for the first time – imagine the collective gasps from the audience, their eyes widening in astonishment! A breath-taking revelation of fluid movement, of artistry! A revolutionary moment that would forever transform dance. And Paris, my dear, the very heart of it all.
I had the chance to slip on a replica of The Romantic Tutu, darling. Oh, the sheer, flowing fabric! A touch of romanticism, and I could see the world anew, through the ethereal vision of Giselle herself. The movement was so free – oh, to pirouette with such lightness, to glide across the stage!
The theatre we visited this week – the Theatre du Palais Royal– is bursting with history. From this iconic stage, ballerinas danced, stories unfolded, the romantic tutu made its magnificent debut! Oh, if those walls could only tell tales!
We are not only visiting Paris, of course. Vienna and St. Petersburg are buzzing with this glorious movement! I found the most extraordinary ballet costume store here in Vienna. One piece of this Romantic Tutu I found, I swear, was touched by Marie Taglioni herself – a small piece of magic from the Romantic era!
Don’t forget, my darlings, to grab a coffee (perhaps a sweet cafe au lait, ahem!) and spend the day imagining the ethereal movements of Giselle. Remember her heart-wrenching tale, of the innocence, the betrayal, and her tragic demise – an epic story that still has us swooning.
But that's not all! On February 23rd, we find another piece of dance history! Madame Théodore Vestris, a most celebrated actress and demi-mondaine in Victorian London – my darling Derbyshire, by the way – launched a revolutionary invention: The Bloomers.
I know, you might be thinking bloomers and tutus don't mix, but this revolutionary outfit caused quite a stir and helped spark a trend towards a freer silhouette for women’s attire – quite a rebellious change! You can imagine the gasps, can’t you, my darlings? A new age of feminine freedom had dawned – though not yet in pink tutus, dear readers, but with an unmistakably strong message – a strong feminine voice crying out to "let women be free!"
And I shall follow her cry. Next week, darling, we’re discovering a delightful new shade of pink: the *pinkest shade of The Romantic Tutu! Come back, you can't miss it – I have exciting plans for next week’s #TutuTuesday. Until then, live the ballet dream!
With a pirouette and a swish!
Emma
Pink-Tutu.com
